Handbag construction



Oct. 19, 1954 STUCKER HANDBAG CONSTRUCTION Filed July 5, 1952 L i" INVENTOR L eslie .Z. Si'llOk?" Patented Oct. 19, 1954 grep STAT ATENT OFFICE Goldsmith Handbag Cor corporation of New York 1.. New York, N. Y., a

Application July 5, 1952, Serial No. 297,211

(Cl. ISM-28) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a handbag construction.

It is an object of my invention to provide a handbag or pouch for ladies characterized by the features of the employment of sheeted fabric, such as leather which may, without the use of any metal or like framework, be distended to present an ornamental appearance and, when not filled, may occupy the minimum amount of space, to serve as an accessory for the storage of fiat objects.

It is contemplated by my invention to provide a handbag or pouch wherein two congruent segments are joined to each other, said segments having a filling aperture a closure therefor which do not add bulk, whereby the handbag may, in one condition, serve for the storage of flat objects and occupy a minimum amount of space but may be readily converted into a pouch of highly desirable appearance without the employment of rigid metal or like frames, and characterized by the provision of congruent layers of leather or the like, one of which serves as the bottom, the other of which is the top, the latter having a filling opening and drawstring guides to close the opening, which may flexibly be disposed within the filling aperture when not used as a pouch, in no way to pucker or add bulk to the layers, and further characterized by joining of the layers to each other, to provide predetermined lines of fold, thereby giving the handbag a highly ornamental appearance.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view;

Figure 2 shows my device extended to form a pouch;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the handbag shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a magnified section taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Making reference to the drawing, I show a handbag comprising an upper segment is and a lower segment I i, which are cut to the same outline and arranged congruently to lie substantially in a flat plane. The peripheral edges of the sections IQ and H are joined to each other by the seam [2.

In the illustration shown, the sections is and H are substantially of square outline and, in addition to the seam I2, have alternate sections fit " way puckers the layers.

stiffened medially by turning the corners l3 and stapling or otherwise fastening the turned segment to the upper facing sheeting Hi. By way of illustration I employ the rivets M1 to hold the turned corners 13, thereby providing alternate sections having a stifiened edge iii between the peripheral seam 2, for purposes which will appear as this description proceeds.

The bottom segment H is provided with a bottom contouring stiffener It comprising layers of sheeting ill and i8, sandwiching weighted disks l9 and 2t! therebetween and held in position by the row of stitches 2 i.

The upper layer it is formed with a mouth 22 by cutting the sheeting i0 and forming a fold or beaded edge 23. A flap 2 has a turned-in fold 25 sandwiching therebetween a series of loops Z6, yieldable independently of the fabric of the upper layer it, and held thereto by rows of stitches 21. Through the loops 26 there are threaded in groups, arranged in opposed effective relation, the drawstrings or ropes 28 and 29 which have oppositely directed convolutions 353 and 3!, respectively, through each group. The drawstrings or ropes 2S and 29 may be bound at their ends by the coupling buttons 32 and 33, respectively.

It will be understood that in a measure, though not as desirable, a hem may be employed at the mouth 22 instead of the loops 26, for guiding the drawstrings. It is to be observed that the hem will not lie as flat when the handbag is not used as a pouch and cause a less desirable appearance.

It will be observed that by this construction the handbag may normally lie flat by reason of the congruent position of the upper and lower layers It! and II. The flexibility of the loops 2B in no In this position, toilet articles, handkerchiefs or the like may be stored by insertion through the mouth 22 between the convolutions 3i! and 3!. When one grasps the drawstrings or ropes 2t and 29, and while holding the same snaps the handbag, a novel, ornamental shape is assumed by the handbag, as shown in Figure 2, occasioned by, first, the contour given by the disks it, 2B in the bottom and, second, the alternate arrangement of the stiiiening elements formed by the corner flaps is with relation to the seams 12.

Thus, as the drawstrings exert a closing effect on the loops 26, the handbag is shaped into a series of fluted extensions 34 and depressions 35, radiating from the bottom to the mouth, which flutes or depressions are substantially symmetrically extended from the bottom to the suspending drawstrings.

It will be understood that while I have shown and have described the congruent layers It and II as being of relatively square outline, various other symmetrical polygonal figures or arcuate figures may be employed.

It will also be understood that while the layers l0 and I i may be of any material, such as leather, buckskin, and are illustrated in unlined condition, I may employ a lining and that likewise various fabrics or other sheeted materials may be employed, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will further be observed that while I have shown and have described the flap 24 serving in the nature of a reinforcement for the mouth of the pouch, that this member may be extended for a more substantial length and when the pouch is tilted, will serve to prevent accidental spilling of the contents, as the contents will thus be defiected.

In general, I have devised a novel handba which may be economically produced and which is capable of being stored in a flat condition, thereby taking up the minimum amount of space and which is convertible by a simple flicking operation to a highly ornamental and capacious pouch. It will also be observed that by the construction used, not only is there a highly desirable storage receptacle furnished out the use of the construction described assures the maintenance of a flat and uncreased condition of the pouch with the minimum amount of attention.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A handbag comprising upper and lower coextensive layers joined to each other at the perimeter, the lower of said layers having a central stifiening member, the upper of said layers having a central mouth portion including flexible loops through which drawstrings are threaded, the peripheral edges of the layers having spaced stiffenin elements whereby the drawstrings draw the assembly into a pouch along predetermined folds.

2. A handbag comprising a pair of congruent, fiat, polygonal sheets joined at their peripheral edges and arranged in an upper and lower layer, the lower layer forming a bottom and including a central stifiener, the upper layer having a cutout forming a filling mouth adjacent the center and drawstrings for closing said mouth, the periphery of said layers having spaced stiffeners adjacent thereto whereby the drawstrings shape the layers along alternate radial flutes and folds when suspended therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,404,528 Jefis Jan. 24, 1922 1,513,463 Kidder Oct. 28, 1924 1,606,538 Simeonofr" Nov. 9, 1926 1,611,877 Le Blang Dec. 28; 192-5 2,565,394 Ryan Aug. 21, 1951 

